Novel compounds of the invention belong to a class of cyclic polyethers comprising one or more vinylic functional groups attached to a tertiary carbon of the polyether ring through an ester or an ether linkage. The novel addition polymers prepared therefrom comprise a polyethylene backbone with pendent cyclic polyether groups attached thereto.
Polymers of the repeating unit ##STR5## where x is 4 and 5 are described by Kopolow et al. in Macromolecules 4:359 (1971).
Polymers of the repeating unit ##STR6## where y is 3 to about 10 are described in USP 3,763,188 to Krespan and are prepared from oxetane functional macrocycles. Krespan describes dihydroxymethyl precursors of the instant invention in U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,611.
Compounds with polyoxyalkylene cyclomers have been shown to form complexes with certain alkali metal and alkaline earth metal cations in U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,295 and 3,686,225.